By Samuel Ogunsona
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), 2023 Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s claim to have signed a court affidavit for his change of name has turned out to be a hoax.
The date he claimed to have signed the affidavit was a Saturday.
Nigerian courts to not work on Saturdays.
Atiku claimed to have signed the affidavit in court dated 18th of August, 1973, which has turnd out to be on a Saturday.
A statement by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, who said it has been on record that the former the 2023 Presidential candidate under the umbrella of PDP who was also the former Vice-President of Nigeria did a change of name in court from Siddiq Abubakar to Atiku Abubakar.
He said, “It is on record that the change of name of the former Vice President reverting to Atiku Abubakar from Siddiq Abubakar is well documented in an affidavit dated 18th of August 1973, spanning over a period of 50 years.”
His statement has however caused a lot of controversies with the fact that courts in Nigeria do not open for business on Saturdays and Sundays, being free-working days.
Following the apparent inconsistency in his names which has raised suspicions and concern among many, Atiku claimed to have sworn an oath before he sat for the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC).
Atiku’s name on the 1965 WASSCE certificate he filed to INEC read ‘Siddiq Abubakar,’ while he had ‘Atiku Abubakar’ on his other credentials.
In defence of his name from Siddiq Abubakar to Atiku Abubakar, he claimed he followed due process in court and was not involved in any name forgery.
Critics insist that the affidavit was forged raising more questions about Atiku moral status as Nigeria-s Presidential hopeful